Mr THOMAS GEORGE (Lismore) [11.43 a.m.]: Today I highlight concerns that the member for Ballina, the member for Tweed and I have relating to police numbers. Yesterday the Minister for Police informed the House that extra police would be allocated to a number of electorates throughout the State. However, the Lismore, Ballina and Tweed electorates—the fastest-growing area in New South Wales—received only one additional police officer in Richmond and two additional officers in Tweed-Byron. On a number of occasions members of the Liberal-Nationals Coalition have asked the Government to allocate additional police officers to this region. The response that we received from the Minister was to the effect that he does not allocate those officers. At meetings held with the executive of the New South Wales Police Force over the past few years my colleagues and I have made representations on a number of occasions to commanders or to assistant commissioners for the Northern Rivers region.

Every year about two million people visit the Northern Rivers region of the State, and that creates many and ongoing problems. We are proud of the fact that people come from across the border, from all parts of Australia and from all over the world to visit the northern part of the State. The New South Wales Police Force recognises that long-term sick leave and stress leave are causing major problems. The New South Wales Police Force also recognises the fact that there is no in-built relief system, and that is placing additional burdens on remaining officers. I am heartened by the fact that Government members agree with what I am saying as this problem is not an isolated one. As I said earlier, of the 250 police graduates that were announced yesterday and those that were announced the week before, the Richmond, Tweed and Byron areas will benefit from only six additional officers, which does not reflect the needs of those local area commands.

This Government is ignoring the needs of these local area commands and it is treating members of Parliament, the community and the police with contempt. Only nine of a total of 1,000 police graduates will go to the Northern Rivers region, and that is a slap in the face for the community. The Government is treating the community with contempt when it should be addressing this problem. Earlier this year Deputy Commissioner David Owens visited the Tweed Local Area Command only once and the Richmond Local Area Command only once. On both occasions he said that they had sufficient police numbers. I assure Deputy Commissioner David Owens that that is not what I am being told by the community or by the police. I will continue to make representations to ensure that this problem is addressed. This Government is treating people on the North Coast with contempt. I said earlier that more than two million visitors come to the Northern Rivers region each year. We have a ratio of one police officer to 700 residents when the ratio for the rest of the State is one police officer to 500 residents. That is a disgrace. The Commissioner of Police and the police executive must urgently address these issues.